South by Southwest
by akaeve
Summary: Written for a NFA Challenge, Titular Challenge. Abby goes to Austin for the SXSW Festival
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer

blah blah blah...do not own NCIS or characters, never made any money still poor, but Abbs centric.

 **Chapter 1**

"You're looking all smilie smilie," Tim questioned Abby, as he walked into the lab.

"Oh I am. I just put in for a weeks' vacation, going to a great rock festival, down in Austin. Stopping with an old college chum, not that she's old," as Abby became flustered and started to wave her arms about, "I mean she is old, as in long time, from Louisiana, when I was like, a student there."

"And this festival is what?"

"Tim, if I didn't know you better I would say you were jealous, but I can't see you listening to Byzantine, or Venomous Maximus or even Dillinger Escape Plan, but it's the SXSW."

"The WHAT?" Tim shouted at Abby.

"South by Southwest," Gibbs answered entering the lab.

"Hey, didn't know you were a fan Gibbs,"

"Not, but Dillinger Escape Plan will be there, derived from the bank robber of same name, Dillinger didn't, so got killed, but what you got on the body before you go?"

"Didn't have what?" Tim questioned.

"An escape plan," Gibbs replied smiling handing Abbs a Caf-pow.

"Works for me Gibbs, but nothing, Major Mass-spec is still working on things, but don't worry Gibbs, Director is getting someone from the Great Lakes Office to oversee while I'm not here," as she sooked up the liquid.

-oOo-

The weeks flew in and Abby was ready to go. She had got in touch with Amy her friend telling her arrival times, and also mentioned to Loretta Wade she was visiting. It had been a one off visit from Loretta, when Abby was a teenager at school, which had made Abby do what she now did. Not the autopsy bit, but when she, Loretta had mentioned sending her findings to a forensic lab.  
Loretta was still the Medical Examiner of Jefferson Parish, but was contracted to the NCIS office in New Orleans; Abby would occasionally get a call from her or Sebastian Lund.

But it was Amy she was looking forward to seeing. They used to be called the "Double A Team."  
Abby had packed and repacked her bag, but why, it wasn't as though she was going for long, but it would be great to see Amy and to catch up on old times in person, rather than on skype or e-mail.

But like all inquisitive people, she liked to people watch, and of course wonder who she had to sit with, on the almost 4 hour flight to Austin. But she needn't have worried she got a sleeper, being an early morning flight, and so she got to listen to her music and look out the window.


	2. Chapter 2

For the uninitiated, South by Southwest (SXSW) is a set of film, interactive music festivals and conferences that take place early each year in mid-March, but it was the metal music Abby and her friend were going to.

The temperature in Austin in March, a warm 71-77F compared to the cool of D.C. 56-60F, but Abby had packed her parasol for the days, and for the evenings she would just chill.

Amy was waiting in the lunchtime sun when she arrived, and rushed to her friend's side.

"Abby so good to see you in the flesh again, if you know what I mean, and if I must say you are paler than ever, you need to see the sun, and we need to eat Cajun," as Amy took her friends bag and put her arm through Abby's.

-oOo-

After an early dinner the girls made their way, to the venue of the 1st band, The Dirty Dog Bar on E. 6th Street had "Full of Hell" playing, then on to the Monster Energy Outbreak House with "Dead Earth Politics" and lastly Gypsy Lounge where "Dillinger Escape Plan", were playing.

The Red River District is Austin's music centre, it is three blocks of the best, and most live music in Austin. Within a three block stumble on any weekend night, you can see more than twenty bands. Red River is a music lovers paradise, and the girls were going to have fun.

It was on the way back, walking along the pathway by Waller Creek towards the University, that Abby spotted something by the banking, if it hadn't been for the full moon she might have missed.

"Hey Amy, look down there, is that not a body?" Abby shouted pointing.

"Abby, you are supposed to be on vacation, and it is probably an old bin liner, the conservationists are always pulling stuff out, before it flows into Lady Bird Lake."

"No, it really is," as Abby began to climb over the railing and clambering down the bank.

As Abby scrambled down the banking, almost twisting her ankle, she could see it was a man, and he was wearing a Uniform.

"Amy, I need to call NCIS it's a Marine," as Abby now looked up at her friend who was dialling 911.

-oOo-

The police arrived swiftly, along with two of the Austin's NCIS staff.

"You find the body," a local LEO started to ask.

"Yes, I saw it in the moon light."

"You know a lot about bodies?" the LEO continued.

"No, not personally but I do do, forensics," Abby replied looking over the man's shoulder.

"And what are you and your friend doing out at this time of night dressed like that," as the man now pointed at Abby.

"We have been at some of the concerts down E.6th Street, and we were walking back to the University area where my friend Amy has an apartment."

"Forensics?" the man began to say when he noticed the two NCIS agents approach.

"Yep Marine, Sergeant Frankie Gonalez, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, need to get in touch with N.O. unit as it would appear he is on the USS Wasp, out of New Orleans, they are at the moment, preparing for the NOLA week," Agent Travers replied.

"Oh goodie," Abby squealed, "That means you have to get in touch with Special Agent Pride, and oh, the M.E. will be Loretta Wade I presume?" she added.

"You know Loretta?" Travers now enquired, looking at Abby's attire.

"Like yeah, she only got me into forensics, I was brought up in Jefferson Parish. And I know Wade and LaSalle, from working a case last year. I work in D.C the Navy Yard, Abigail Scuito, at your service, SIR," as Abby saluted. Travers just smiled and got on his cell. He talked for a while and then returned to Abby.

"Ok, Pride says that they have to get the body to New Orleans but Loretta is on her way or will be, I am to do what I can here and then if you wish go with Loretta."

"Cool," was all Abby could say smiling.

"Sorry Amy, I really need to do this, I know I wanted to do the town, but if all goes well, could be back in a couple of days. I will maybe allowed to help Sebastian, if he lets," Abby continued packing her bag.

"Abby you were always the worker, yes go, I'll do some of the films and then we could get the weekend finale of SXSW," as Abby now went to hug her friend.

Abby watched as Amy walked away, she wondered to herself, if maybe she was being too quick to wait for Loretta, it could be sometime in the morning, so after giving Travers her accommodation address and cell number, she ran after Amy.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, her cell rang, looking at the number it was one she didn't recognise, but answered anyway.

"Loretta….." as she now listened, "Sure, can be there in 15 minutes, and would love to travel back to New Orleans. Is Pride with you?"

Loretta replied yes, and LaSalle was down at the ship.

The Marines had arranged a Sikorsky helicopter, it would make it to Austin, refuel and return with the body, and so all in all, between the time of finding the body, the local LEO's and Austin NCIS, the New Orleans team were there by 08:00 and by the time evidence had been taken and pictures taken, they would be back in New Orleans by early afternoon.

-oOo-

Back in NO LaSalle and Brody were interviewing the crew of the ship, and members of Frankie Gonalez's unit, turned out he too was on leave and had decided to take in the sights and sounds of SXSW, before the Navy exercise.

"Any Idea, where he was staying?" LaSalle had asked members of the Unit, "And why was he still in uniform."

Nope and no idea, came the reply.

Brody was having more luck.

"Frankie, oh yes real ladies' man. Loved them, had a girl all over the country."

"Girl in Camp Lejeune?" Brody asked.

"Oh yea and Italy, loved the Italians, I mean we just came back from 6th Fleet operations on the Bataan. Some of the Air Combat Element of MEU executed strike missions against ISIL in Iraq,"

"And NTISR flights over Iraq and Syria," his friend added.

"But Frankie, he was what?"

"A sniper," came the reply.

-oOo-

Abby said bye to Amy saying she would be back for the weekend and the final gigs, but hurried to the crime scene, where she saw Loretta and Pride deep in conversation. Pride saw Abby approaching, smiled and waved.

"Abby, Loretta told me you were in town, and I believe you found the body?"

"Sure did, we, that would be Amy and me, were walking back from…."

"I have all the details from Travers, but Loretta says you want to come back with us, why? You are on vacation."

"Just maybe nice to see NO again and work with you guys for a day or two," she replied, "And maybe Sebastian could do with a hand, I got him a CD too," as she now pulled Dillinger's latest recording from her backpack.

"Ok with me," Pride replied.

It was difficult to talk on the way to NO but Abby just sat back and envisaged how Gibbs would have felt on this sort of transport.

-oOo-

They arrive early afternoon, Loretta had said she would contact Sebastian and see if he needed any help. He did. Cool.

Pride and Abby arrived back at the NCIS office while Loretta took the body to autopsy.

"Place looks bigger when you see it in reality," Abby oozed looking around.

"What you get from his unit," Pride asked his co-workers.

"Bit of a romeo, and he was a sniper," Brody answered.

"They have no idea why he was still in uniform or where he was staying. But then again, if he was actually on his way to digs?" LaSalle added.

The screen flashed up and the group could see Loretta.

"What you got for us?" Pride asked.

"He was killed by a single knife wound to the chest, not enough to kill right out but he did bleed to death. Can tell you he had tempeh chili, and frito pie washed down with some beer, sometime in the afternoon," Loretta said over the screen.

"Hey we, that would be Amy and I, dined in Spider House just north of the Campus, they serve that, and he was found just down from the Campus, you think there is a connection. I mean could he have been staying there, like I am," Abby now suggested.

"Could be," Pride answered, "But looks like we should turn back over to the Austin branch, but then again," as Pride looked at Abby and then his two co-workers, "Who fancies another trip, back to Austin?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The Navy laid on another helo for the group, they too wanted to know who had killed one of their snipers, and so the next morning the four piled into the aircraft for the journey back. Austin NCIS had arranged accommodation if need be but Pride was hopeful that they should be ok. Patton Plame said he would liaise.

Abby found the journey back as interesting as before. The team made their way back to the University Campus, Abby rushing round to Amy's to say she had returned and brought the team, and that she would meet up later and they could all go to dinner. Amy just sighed.

"Right," Pride had said, "Let's find this restaurant you and Amy dined in, we'll show them the picture and I suppose you are hungry again Brody?"

"Always willing to try new food, you know me," Brody answered as they now headed off to the Spider House.

Food ordered, Pride showed the photograph of Frankie to the staff.

"Oh yeah, remember him, full uniform."

"Not something you see everyday, so yes he stood out."

"No, just ate by himself, but he did keep looking at his cell and texting."

Pride got on his cell to Sebastian and Patton, "Check our dead marine's cell for contacts," as he saw their meals arrive.

Halfway through and Pride's cell rang, Patton mentioned that Frankie had been texting and calling one Betsy Brown.

"Got an address? And can you send a photo so we know who we are looking for."

Patton duly gave, and Pride wrote down, it was an address at the campus, so on paying their meal the group left for the short walk to the campus. A photo appeared on Prides cell.

"Did Patton find out what Betsy did, is she a student?" LeSalle asked.

"Sebastian says she's a Longhorn, meaning she's studying PE."

-oOo-

Abby said that since they were at the campus, she would go and see Amy, and get changed, and anyway she wasn't much use at interviews. Maybe they could meet up later.

The three arrived at Betsy's room and Pride knocked door, no reply, a passing student mentioned that Betsy could or would probably be found on the playing field, failing that, then try the path by Waller Creek, she liked to run there.

Pride thanked the student.

"Looks like we'll have to split up. You want to take the sports field, I'll take the path since I know it, and I'll give Travers a call, see if he wants to help me."

His cell rang and he noticed it was Abby, "Abby….OK I'm heading back to the path want to join me?" he asked, knowing that the answer would be yes. "Ok, meet you there in 10. Looks like I won't be needing Travers."

The three said their goodbyes and walked in different direction. It was getting on for the 10 minutes when Pride heard footsteps behind him, he turned to see Abby runny towards him, "Got here as fast as I could," she puffed.

"Need to get out more Abbs. Need to bowl more or something a little more strenuous."

"That an offer?" she smiled.

"Nope, but just show me where you found the body."

The two walked a little further along the path until they came to a bend in the creek, "There," Abby pointed, "Down there, and I don't think he floated, the guy was a good build."

"So you reckon he staggered bleeding, and fell?" Pride asked.

"Yep, but what did Travers say? And bet he's already scoured the area with the LEO's for the murder weapon," Abby added.

"But you never know eh?"

"Nope," as Abby slipped her arm through Prides and they looked down at where the body had been found.

"Ok," Pride began to say, "We know the creek runs thatta way," pointing to the left, "And we know that our Marine had eaten thatta way," now pointing to the right, "And his friend on Campus, which is that way."

"So we have to decide was he escaping or had he been somewhere else and was going home," Abby now smiled.

"I would say let's take a walk left, for say ½ mile or so, because I would go back to where I know and help," Pride answered.

The pair walked down the path following the flow of the creek, Abby had her eyes peeled for something, just a hint just a glint of something. Then she spotted something in the reeds.

"Look down there," as she pointed to the reeds, as she saw a flash of steel.

"See it Abby," Pride replied, now jumping over the railing and scrambling down to the reeds.

"Pride," Abby shouted, "Gloves, and bag and tag."

"I know my job, Abby."

"Know," as she smugly smiled, "But always wanted to say that."

Pride parted the reeds and there was a knife, a small filleting or vegetable knife. The creek had washed it clean but Pride could just make out a dark congealed ring round the hilt.

"Got it and I think, just think, we can get a fix on any ridge impressions and the blood, as I don't think it is jam."

Abby helped Pride back up the banking and as he handed her the sealed bag, "Turn round now and I got to date and time it," as Abby turned round and handed the bag back, Pride used her back as a desk.

"Ok, now we call LeSalle and Brody, and see if they have found the girlfriend," as he took his cell out his pocket and dialled.

"Pride, yes we found Betsy, she's pretty angry and then she burst into tears, Brody is trying to console her, but she did say something about one of the guys on her floor at campus, trying it on, and Frankie saying he'd sort."

"And what does this guy look like, we know, if not, get a name and put a BOLO out, get Travers to help. Abbs and I got a knife with what looks like blood on it, and if we can get a set of prints."

"That is gonna take time to get back to Loretta," Abby replied, "But I could maybe help, if we had a lab."

"Let's see if we can trace the person first. But we'll make our way back to the Campus, we'll met ya at the Sports Ground."

The pair turned and walked back to the University.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

They met LeSalle and Brody in the sports ground, Betsy was still there shaking, still in shock.

"Has she told you anything?" Pride asked.

"Not in so many words, name of Danny Wilson, has been bugging her lately. He's a quarterback, but makes her back crawl she says," LeSalle started to say,

"He has been hinting all sorts of out of hours sporting activities, if you get my drift. In fact he asked her if she was into hardball, squash to be precise," as Pride saw Brody begin to smile.

"She gave him a knee in the softballs and kinda squashed them, and said she would report him for harassment," she replied.

"Get the gist and…"

"Said he would get even," Lesalle answered.

"Well find him and bring him in for questioning. I'm gonna call Travers to help and to get an interrogation room," as Pride got on the cell.

-oOo-

Danny Wilson was an easy guy to find, he was on the field. Travers and Pride pulled him in for questioning.

"Gonna tell us your side of the story. I mean, won't take long to get prints off the knife and your prints to match…." Pride began to say.

"Or not match."

"If you come clean with us, then there is nothing to hide, just maybe a GBH from Betsy."

"Ok I fancied her," Danny replied, "And yes I wanted to take it further, but she's fussy, wanted the Marine. Something about the uniform she said."

"So you followed him and killed him?" Pride continued.

"I didn't follow him I met him returning from wherever, he threatened me."

"So you pulled a knife," Travers questioned.

"I work part-time in the restaurant he ate in. I work the kitchen; I do sometimes forget to leave my tools of the trade behind. Sometimes you need that bit of protection in this town."

"And?" Pride continued.

"I must have stabbed him, as he lurched towards me, I saw the knife still in him, I turned and ran."

"You didn't think to call 911?" Pride now shouted at Danny.

"I panicked, I thought someone else would," was all Wilson could now say beginning to cry.

Pride turned to Travers, "Book him, I'm finished," as he turned and walked out the door.

-oOo-

He met Abby and the rest of his team drinking coffee in the staff room.

"Confessed, so we can go home," Pride concluded.

"Aww, and there was Amy and me thinking we could get back on track and do the town. Take in a couple of gigs, get something to eat and drink and make a night of it."

"Abby I know your gigs, but since I got no way of going back to New Orleans tonight, then I think you got us."

"Where we gonna kip," LeSalle ventured.

"Amy, says her floor, but I'm sure some of the students will willingly give you all a bed," Abby replied.

So this was how the New Orleans team ended up at the SXSW fest with Abby, and do you know they had a blast.

The End.


End file.
